From waterfront decks and mountain-view taprooms to urban patios tucked into vibrant neighbourhoods, brewery patios offer some of the best places to gather, unwind, and enjoy the flavours of BC. Whether you’re meeting friends after work, sharing a meal with family, or spending an afternoon with your dog by your side, these outdoor spaces help make the most of the season.

With so many exceptional brewery patios across the province, narrowing down a list is no easy task and this list was created by polling you — our BC Ale Trail fans. This collection highlights some of BC’s most memorable brewery patios, each offering its own unique atmosphere and scenery. These are brewery patios worth adding to your summer plans. 

Barnside Brewing

Situated amongst the fields of hops, cranberries, and grazing sheep, Barnside Brewing’s four-season patio is one of the best places in BC to experience craft beer, conversation and community, according to craft beer fans. The dog-friendly space welcomes everyone in for award-winning craft beer, tasty eats and great company.

Originally built as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the patio was a way for the brewery to welcome customers while taking advantage of relaxed rules around outdoor service.  Since then, the space has evolved to include a covered, heated patio that’s cozy in all seasons, plus a grassy area perfect for soaking in the sun in a lounge chair with a cold craft beer in hand. Barnside won the BC Ale Trail Best Brewery Experience award in 2023, and the feature blog is well worth a read to learn more about the brewery’s origins and the team’s commitment to locally sourced ingredients and community.

But perhaps Barnside’s fans say it best:

“It is a place where hops have swagger, meals have personality, and time seems to lean back in its chair!” – @tamarastanderwick via Instagram

Find Barnside Brewing in Delta, BC, on the South of the Fraser Ale Trail

Locality Brewing

Locality Brewing has a truly unique outdoor space. Located on McInnis Farms, the brewery itself is housed in a converted barn, and is surrounded by spaces for visitors to enjoy – including a skate park! Sit overlooking the pond – complete with a floating stage in a natural amphitheatre – or nestled amongst the hop vines. Walk the trails to get a look at the ripening barley, and watch the progress of the hops growing next to the brewery. On rainy days, take advantage of one of the mini a-frame structures, or maybe a converted grain silo, each with its own heater or fire pit. Or, enjoy the sun at one of the many tables or benches around the farm. The new lounge area is the perfect shady spot to kick back and relax on hot summer days – comfy, covered, and made for sipping something cold. There’s a food truck on site serving up juicy bison burgers, and Locality is now producing its own cider as well! Locality is kid and pet friendly, and a great destination for that weekend ride or Sunday hike.

Find Locality Brewing in Langley, BC, on the Langley Ale Trail

Lillooet Brewing Company

The patio at Lillooet Brewing Company offers some of the best mountain views around, with the mighty Fraser River flowing right past — it’s truly a one-of-a-kind setting. Keep an eye out for the Rocky Mountaineer to go past as well! They’ve got a huge, pet-friendly space with sun protection and misters to keep cool on hot summer days, games, and a cozy fire pit for the colder months. The patio is open year-round and perfect for a pint in any season. When voting, many fans also made sure to note the tasty snacks available at the brewery, plus the Sowilo Food Truck that’s on site and open on weekends from May to October.

Find Lillooet Brewing Company in Lillooet, BC, on the Sea to Sky Ale Trail

The Patch Brewery

One of the newest additions to the BC craft beer community, The Patch Brewery has quickly become a fan favourite! Joining the small number of farm-based breweries in the province, they use their own barley in the brews, along with farm-grown ingredients in the kitchen that currently serves up artisan pizzas.

From the Beer Barn (the outdoor bar) to the picnic benches, the Patch’s spacious picnic-style patio features plenty of room for groups of all sizes to relax and enjoy the season. With exciting new menu additions on the way, it’s the perfect spot for friends, families, and beer lovers to gather, unwind, and soak up the community atmosphere over great food and fresh craft beer.

Find The Patch Brewery in Maple Ridge, BC, on the Maple Ridge Ale Trail

Driftwood Brewing

The Driftwood Brewery patio has organically become a bustling community hub in Esquimalt. Featuring 16+ taps of fresh beer, including one-off releases and pilot experimental beers, local cider and wine, and Driftwood Spirits crafted cocktails, plus a full menu from Dumpling Drop. The folks at Dumpling Drop work out of the Driftwood kitchen, serving a Thai-inspired menu featuring their famous hand-rolled dumplings and bao buns. Open year-round, the patio is always buzzing with regulars, visitors, and, of course, patio pups.

Find Driftwood Brewery in Victoria on the Greater Victoria Ale Trail

Camp Beer Co.

Camp Beer Co’s patio is the basecamp for good times in Langley – a laid-back space surrounded by greenery, picnic tables, string lights, and a fire pit that makes it feel like camping without leaving the city. With live music on the Camphitheatre stage, a retractable awning, glass walls for colder nights, and a dog-friendly atmosphere, the patio pairs perfectly with friendly table service to deliver craft beer adventures year-round.

Camp also won the BC Ale Trail Best Brewery Experience award in 2022 – it’s safe to say that their relaxing vibes and welcoming atmosphere make for the perfect urban escape.

Find Camp Beer Co in Langley, BC, on the Langley Ale Trail

Farmhouse Brewing Co.

Farmhouse Brewing Co. is another of BC’s unique farm-based breweries, with an expansive outdoor space perfect in any weather. Choose from the covered and heated patio – the firebowl is the perfect place to cozy up in the winter or during a summer rainstorm – or enjoy the tented picnic area in summer, or drinks-only tables by the chicken coop. The regular picnic area includes umbrella-covered tables and a wood fire pit, ideal for cozying up in the evening. Whether you want full shade, to soak in the sun, or something in between, there’s a table that’s perfect for you – and best of all, they’re all pet-friendly.

Bring the whole family – kids and dogs: there is a family-friendly picnic area conveniently located near the professional putting green, full-sized playground, and greenspace. Farmhouse is a perfect place to unwind, in sunshine or rain.

Find Farmhouse Brewing Co. in Chilliwack, BC, on the Fraser Valley Ale Trail

Fern + Cedar Brewing

Built from the ground up in downtown Qualicum Beach, Fern + Cedar Brewing isn’t just a spot for great beer; it’s a full-on community hangout. A little sanctuary where dogs are welcome, friendships are fuel, and craft runs deep. And the patio is a favourite spot for locals and visitors alike. Heated when it’s chilly, wide open and bright when it’s sunny. Good tunes, yard games, fire pits with lounge chairs, and a vibe that says “you’re exactly where you need to be” are what you’ll find every time you stop by. Bring your whole family (including your dog), your friends, or just your thirst for something local and delicious. Every pint and plate at Fern + Cedar is a testament to the brewery’s commitment to quality and community. “Come for the beer, stay for the comfort.”

Find Fern + Cedar Brewing in Qualicum Beach, BC, on the Central Vancouver Island Ale Trail

Abandoned Rail Brewing Co

Abandoned Rail’s expansive field- and trail-side patios offer a variety of options for you to relax in. There is a grassy area set right beside the brewery’s barley field with classic beer fest-style tables and lounge chairs. You could also opt to sit in the shade under the plum trees or the rows of cherry trees. You’ll also find a mini climbing wall and slide for the kiddos in this space. Lastly, there is the patio attached to the tasting room, equipped with its own bar and misters to beat the Okanagan summer heat.

Find Abandoned Rail Brewing Co in Penticton on the Penticton Ale Trail

Field House Brewing – ABBY

The Field House ABBY Patio is a slice of backyard bliss where cold beer, fresh food, and laid-back vibes meet under the open sky. Every Thursday, the lawn comes alive with Field Sessions: live music from local artists that turns an evening into a community gathering. Kick back in lawn chairs, stretch out on picnic blankets, or grab a spot at one of the rustic tables. With a covered, heated patio for those “summer-ish” days, and a family- and dog-friendly setup, it’s the perfect space for slow hangs, sunset beers, and all the fresh air goodness.

Find Field House Brewing ABBY in Abbotsford, BC, on the Fraser Valley Ale Trail

The Beer Farmers

The patio at The Beer Farmers brewery is a serene gathering spot tucked into the heart of the Pemberton Meadows farming community, with a view that just can’t be beat. Another of BC’s unique farm-based breweries, it’s located on a fourth-generation family farm. Guests will be surrounded by fields full of potatoes, barley, highland cows, hops, veggies, flowers and other amazing locally grown crops. Enjoy a glimpse of the country life as locals and tourists alike arrive by horse, bike, and tractor. Pemberton is well known for its hiking trails and extensive cycling opportunities – from challenging mountain biking to easy off-road trails. And cold beer on a patio with spectacular views after your hike or ride – what could be better?

Find The Beer Farmers in Pemberton, BC, on the Sea to Sky Ale Trail

Every Pint Tells a Story

Supporting Local. Celebrating Community.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2025 and was based on a compilation of audience submissions and recommendations. It has since been updated to reflect current information and provide a more comprehensive guide to some of BC’s best brewery patios.

The post Patio Perfection: The Best Brewery Patios in BC as voted by you! appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

If you follow me on Instagram, you will have seen some of my biking stories. My husband and I have cycled a number of bike routes and trails across Metro Vancouver, and one of our favourite ones is the Traboulay PoCo Trail. Why, you ask? Because this trail offers nice rewards for beer lovers like us, and like you!

But first, let me tell you more about the Traboulay PoCo Trail. This 25 km trail loops around the entire community of Port Coquitlam, it’s mostly flat and is well-maintained with a mix of paved paths and hard-packed gravel surfaces. This trail is great for cyclists of all levels, and it’s also suitable for runners, walkers, and even families with strollers. For me, it’s the constant change of scenery and wildlife spotting opportunities that make the Traboulay PoCo Trail appealing. As we bike along the trail, we get a variety of landscapes from forest and farmland to meadow and marsh, riverfront and creekside. We hear various birds chirping; we have even had bear encounters (from a safe distance, of course!) It also takes you through the city centre, where you will likely find yourself at one of the five breweries in Port Coquitlam for a pit stop.

Port Coquitlam’s Breweries

Near the 7km marker of the Traboulay PoCo Trail, you will find Side Quest Brewing Co. and Tinhouse Brewing. Side Quest Brewing Co. is a nerd-culture craft brewery inspired by games, fantasy, sci-fi, and pop culture — crafting thoughtful, approachable beers with depth and balance under the direction of owner and brewer Michael.

The founders of Tinhouse Brewing started out mostly as home brewers and decided that it would be fun to bring their beer to the rest of the world, offering an all-inclusive safe space for any and all to enjoy. You won’t miss their “Cold Beer” sign on the trail! I like that they experiment with different flavour combinations in their seasonal beers. For example, the Let’s Get Take-Out Thai Wit gives you the exotic note of a Thai curry – galangal, ginger, lemongrass and kefir lime. I also encourage you to check out the Tinhouse 5K Series, a run/walk event held on the last Sunday of every month between May and September. Created by Tinhouse to encourage the community to stay active, the entry fee is very affordable, and the course covers part of the Traboulay PoCo Trail, so it’s the perfect trial run for those who haven’t been before! Best of all, partial proceeds go towards the PoCo Community Foundation, raising over $4,000 last year for local charities.

Just steps away from the 10km marker is Taylight Brewing. The second brewery to open in Port Coquitlam, they are known for their funky styles of beer and quirky handwritten tap list on the blackboard. In the spring, you will find Sakura Yuzu Ale and Strawberry Shortcake Sour; around the winter holidays, there is Eggnog White Stout and Hibernation Cherry Plum Stout. You never know what they will release next! But if you are looking for an “Intro to Taylight”, try these two everyday brews: Loco Poco Czech Pilsner, made with 100% Czech Saaz hops, and Slack Tide Hazy Pale Ale, a juicy crowd pleaser with notes of pineapple and tropical fruit.

Did you know that PoCo Brothers Brewing Co. is nestled inside the Cat & Fiddle Pub? About a 10-minute biking detour off the Traboulay PoCo Trail from Taylight, Cat & Fiddle has been a Port Coquitlam staple since 1979. They serve only PoCo Brothers’ beers on tap, and their Happy Hour offers are amazing! They have over 20 flavours of their “World Famous Wings” and I recommend Pineapple Curry, Bourbon BBQ, Sweet Thai Chili, and GarPar (tip: head in for Wing Wednesdays). I had the pleasure of meeting Miguel Molina, head of brewing and operations at PoCo Brothers. This year so far, the brewery has served up more than 15 beers in cans and on tap. Most recently, their Amber Ale took home Gold at the 2025 Canadian Brewing Awards. Their other award-winning beers are the Dark Lager and one of the best sellers, a Hazy IPA. Try them on tap at Cat & Fiddle, or purchase some cans to take home.

Note: Miguel is also the brewer behind the Changing Colours Brewing Project

Last but not least, Patina Brewing is located closer to the end of the 25km loop of the Traboulay PoCo Trail. More than a brewery, Patina also offers Southern BBQ on the menu. Their Kölsch and Italian Pilsner are both award-winning – the Kölsch having won Silver at the most recent Canadian Brewing Awards – and the Thai Lager and Raspberry Lime Sour are perfect for warm summer days. What has put them on the map recently is the release of Platform Canadian Pilsner, a collaboration with Translink, that is made with 100% Canadian ingredients, including water from the Coquitlam watershed!

Hopping Back on the Traboulay PoCo Trail

Whether you are cycling the full loop or taking a stroll through one part of the Traboulay PoCo Trail, remember to make a few stops along the way and take in the view. And the view changes through the seasons as well. Some of my favourite stops are

• The viewpoints just past the DeBoville Slough at North Pitt River;
• Inside ƛ̓éxətəm Regional Park near the Millennium Bridge;
• A picnic at Gates Park or Lions Park; and
• A water break by the Coquitlam River around the 22km marker.

Mr. and I also rotate beer stops every time we hit the trail, or take home some brews-to-go in our pannier bags. Next time, I want to add the new PoCo Climb to our itinerary for an extra workout.

Will you check out the Traboulay PoCo Trail this spring? Be sure to tag @BCAleTrail on your ale-venture!

ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY
Ride smart, drink responsibly. The BC Ale Trail and our brewery members are committed to promoting craft beer enjoyment responsibly. Consider taking some cans to go, or ask about non-alcoholic options — and please don’t drink and ride, or drive.

*Editor’s note: This blog was originally published on July 18, 2025 and has been updated to reflect a change of ownership and branding for Northpaw Brewing, which is now Side Quest Brewing Co. 

Every Pint Tells a Story

Supporting Local. Celebrating Community.

The post A Beer Lover’s Guide to the Traboulay PoCo Trail appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

The winding West Coast road. The ocean peeking through the trees. That feeling that you’re heading somewhere just a little bit magical.

We set out to experience the breweries of Sooke and Shirley along the BC Ale Trail, taking our time and soaking in every stop. To find them yourself, download the FREE BC Ale Trail app or pick up a Greater Victoria Ale Trail map at any participating location and let it guide your adventure.

Here’s how our day unfolded…

Sooke Oceanside Brewery

Our first stop was tucked behind a surf shop, overlooking the ocean, and it instantly felt like the kind of place you’d want to become a regular.

We were greeted by owner Ryan, who took the time to share the backstory of Sooke Oceanside. The idea for the brewery was born during his successful career as an executive chef. After long days in professional kitchens, his downtime and passion project lived in his garage: brewing beer. What started as a creative release slowly evolved into something much bigger and eventually became the coastal community hub it is today.

You can feel that the chef’s mindset in the beer program is thoughtful, balanced, and intentional.

We sipped our way through:

• Leechtown Lager – crisp and endlessly drinkable
• Renfrew Red – smooth malt character with coastal ease
• Stiff Jab – bold and punchy
• Stick in the Mud Coffee Porter – rich, roasty and beautifully layered

The taproom is small but mighty, filled with local artwork, warm wood, ocean views, and space for intimate live music nights. It feels personal. Community-forward. Authentic.

They’ve also built something really special for locals, a Mug Club that keeps regulars coming back. Plus, great merch (think cozy hoodies, hats, glassware) that you’ll actually want to wear. And from what Ryan shared? There are some very fun things coming down the pipeline, new beers, creative collabs, and fresh ideas in the works.

It’s a brewery that feels rooted in Sooke but still evolving, and we love that.

You can reach Sooke Oceanside via BC Transit, making it one of the more accessible stops on the route.

Bad Dog Brewing Company

Next up: Bad Dog Brewing, and this is exactly what you picture when you think of small craft beer made with love.

Tucked away on a rural property, the space includes the brewhouse and taproom, a picnic area, and the Hot Diggity Dog Food Trailer parked outside.

We actually caught them mid-brew (our favourite timing), which meant we got to peek into the brewhouse and chat with Rosie and John about the family history behind the brewery and their deep love of craft beer. You can tell this is more than a business; it’s a passion project built on years of appreciation for the craft.

Our flight included:

• Space Walk Passion Fruit Ale – bright and fruit-forward
• Kona’s Gone Coconuts – red ale with balanced malt and coconut
• Short ‘N Stout – a smooth milk stout
• Tire Biter – a deliciously hoppy West Coast IPA with citrus and grapefruit notes
• Liquid Hippy – a touch of haze with the zing of mango and hibiscus flower

Every beer felt intentional and handcrafted.

Hot Diggity Dog is not just an afterthought; it’s legit. Think:

• Crispy Chicken Burger
• Kimchi Wraps
• Pulled Pork Buns
• Pulled Pork Poutine

Comfort-forward, beer-friendly bites that absolutely hit.

Of course, we can’t talk about Bad Dog without mentioning the brew dogs. The resident pups are part of the charm, and they welcome visiting dogs too. Between the family story, the dogs, the merch for sale, and the laid-back rural setting, being there genuinely makes you feel like family.

The vibe is perfect. The people are even better.

BC Transit will get you close, but plan for about a 30-minute walk to reach the property.

Checkerhead Brewing (Shirley)

We then made our way to Shirley for Checkerhead, and honestly? This isn’t just a brewery stop. It’s an experience.

Checkerhead has it all: an apiary, disc golf, hiking trails, an Airbnb stay option, gardens growing ingredients for beer, mead and kombucha, interactive games like the Beer Puppeteer rig — and Dave.

Dave is the mastermind juggler behind Checkerhead and truly one of its greatest attractions. His background in busking and world travel shows up directly in the beers he creates; each one is dedicated to someone he’s met along his journey.

We sipped:

• Moroccofied Cerveza, inspired by a flamenco-shredding, joke-slinging, world-class juggling legend who tours with Olé!
• A Coconut Blonde Ale dedicated to a New Zealand hula hooper and street performer
• Wee Zebra ISA, honouring El Gleno Grande (aka Glenn Singer) — a theatrical street performer whose slow-motion miniature zebra-riding act became an international festival legend
• A beautifully tart Rhubarb Braggot
• A Wrye Wit Roggen, layered and spice-forward with rye character
• A Tayberry ale made from berries grown right in Dave’s garden

One of the most unique touches? When you order a beer, you can watch a video about the person it’s dedicated to. We got to “meet” our flight, seeing their talents, magic, and personalities come alive through the stories behind the beer.

Being at Checkerhead really pulls you out of whatever is happening in the wider craft beer world — the uncertainty of the industry, the hype cycles, the bureaucratic red tape that can make it feel heavy — and brings you back to the heart of it all.

It surrounds you with the love and joy of the craft beer that got most of us hooked in the first place. The creativity. The storytelling. The human connection. The pride in ingredients grown on-site. The willingness to experiment simply because it’s fun.

The love of the trade shines through here in a way that’s overwhelmingly contagious. You don’t just drink beer here, you feel it.

Checkerhead is not accessible via BC Transit, so plan for a designated driver or carpool.

Beyond the Breweries

You don’t just have to sip; you can explore.

• Sheringham Point Lighthouse

We wandered out to this stunning National Heritage Lighthouse and took in the sweeping ocean views. It’s peaceful, dramatic, and feels quintessentially West Coast.

• Shirley Delicious

A café tucked in the woods serving fresh-baked goodies, brunch, lunch and excellent coffee. It’s cozy, charming and absolutely worth lingering over.

• Sooke Potholes Provincial Park

Naturally carved rock pools along the Sooke River — we explored the trails, and (in warmer months) you can take a refreshing dip. A favourite day-use spot for locals for good reason.

Where to Stay

If you’re turning this into an overnight (highly recommend), here are a few places we love:

• The Bee View Suite (Airbnb) – cozy, private and peaceful. Perfect for a romantic or quiet getaway. (Located on the Chekerhead property)
• SookePoint Ocean Cottage Resort – cliffside oceanfront cottages with jaw-dropping views.
• Ocean Song Cottages – charming standalone cottages surrounded by nature.
• Prestige Oceanfront Resort – full-service comfort right on the water.
• Sooke Harbour Resort & Marina – townhouse-style suites overlooking the marina, ideal for groups.

Final Thoughts

Sooke and Shirley are not just “quick brewery stops.” They are coastal experiences filled with passionate owners, family stories, creative risks, rural charm, ocean views, and that feeling of connection that makes craft beer so special.

Whether you download the BC Ale Trail app or grab a map and wander, this stretch of Vancouver Island is absolutely worth the drive.

Trust us: go for the beer, stay for the people.

Every Pint Tells a Story

Supporting Local. Celebrating Community.

The post A Sooke & Shirley Brewery Day appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

Ellison Field Taphouse at YLW (Kelowna International Airport) is inviting the community to vote for their favourite spring beer from seven local craft options, with the winning brew earning a coveted spot on the new restaurant’s rotating seasonal tap.

Everyone who votes will be automatically entered into a draw for a $100 Ellison Field gift card and a BC Ale Trail swag pack.

Voting opens February 18, 2026 and runs for three weeks, closing on March 10, 2026. The winning tap will be announced on March 16, and the contest draw winner be notified on March 18th.

About the beers:

(in alphabetical order by brewery)

• Abandoned Rail Brewing Co – Vacay Vibes Hazy Pale Ale (5.7% ABV | 37 IBU)

Jammed full with Bru-1, Idaho 7, Galaxy, CryoPop, and Sabro hops to give fresh tropical aromas and flavours of pineapple, stone fruit and grapefruit to round out with a crisp, bitter bite.

• BNA Brewing Co. – Back Hand of God Stout (5.3% ABV | 22 IBU)

Back Hand of God is a smooth, dark stout with incredible balance and drinkability. It pours deep black with a soft, creamy off-white head. The aroma brings forward roasted barley, cocoa, and a hint of caramel, followed by flavours of coffee, dark chocolate, and gently toasted malt. It’s rich without being heavy, bold without being bitter, and finishes silky smooth.

A stout with depth, simplicity, and standout flavour. Easy to appreciate, hard to forget.

• Cannery Brewing – Hop Chowdah Hazy IPA (6.5% ABV | 45 IBU)

This hazy IPA is juicy with relaxed bitterness and a soft mouthfeel. Hopped with Nelson Sauvin, Riwaka & Nectaron hops.

• Copper Brewing Co. – Blackcurrant Sour (5.4% ABV | 18 IBU)

The folks at Copper doubled down on the lactose in this sour, giving this beer a full body and smooth finish. Aged on 40 pounds of blackcurrant, this beer is juicy and full of flavour.

• Kelowna Beer Institute – Citratooth IPA (5.6% ABV | 65 IBU)

A classic West Coast IPA. Refreshing notes of citrus and pine, a mildly sweet and caramel malt body, all coming together in a crisp and bitter, yet balanced finish.

• Tin Whistle Brewing – Cherry Blossom Japanese Lager (4.7% ABV | 23 IBU)

Delicate, refreshing, and quietly complex, this Canada Beer Cup award-winning Japanese-style lager is brewed with sake kasu—the rice recovered from sake brewing—sourced locally from Kizuna Sake in Penticton.

Soft rice sweetness sets the stage, while gentle cherry blossom aromatics bring floral elegance and subtle fruit notes, all balanced by a clean, crisp finish. Light on the palate yet layered in flavour, this lager is endlessly drinkable and perfect for any occasion.

• Yellow Dog Brewing – El Perro Cerveza (5% ABV | 12 IBU)

Crisp, clean and refreshing; this Mexican-style Lager hits all the buttons. Crushable and refreshing, this beer is perfect for hot weather and really any occasion. It will have you dreaming of white sand and ocean waves.

See full contest rules.

Every Pint Tells a Story

Supporting Local. Celebrating Community.

The post Vote for the Spring Tap at Ellison Field Taphouse appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

In 1947, the first commercial flight took off from this historic airstrip. By 1949, the original terminal building opened with a 3,000-foot grass runway, marking the start of Kelowna’s aviation story.⁠  Today, Ellison Field Taphouse brings that history to life with a modern twist. Now open pre-security, this beer-forward restaurant honours the airport’s roots while giving travellers a place to relax, enjoy craft BC beers, and savour a menu for every part of the day.⁠

Step in, raise a glass, and experience a taste of Kelowna’s aviation past. ⁠

Airport History

Kelowna International Airport’s (YLW) story began in 1946 when residents voted to purchase the 320-acre Dickson Ranch in Ellison. The first flight took off in fall 1947, and by 1949, the airport celebrated its grand opening with a terminal building, a 3,000-foot grass airstrip, and a fleet of small aircraft. The real game-changer came in 1958 when Canadian Pacific Airlines launched daily DC-3 service to Vancouver, which kicked off negotiations with the federal government for a proper paved runway. By 1960, the city had extended and paved the runway to 5,350 feet and expanded the taxiway and apron—a major upgrade that set the stage for serious growth.

The 1970s brought modern amenities like an air traffic control tower and on-site weather office, and in 1975, a Track Guidance Localizer was installed to improve flight reliability in poor weather. The ’80s and early ’90s saw over $10 million invested in upgrades to the terminal, runway, and airline facilities, fueling growth in both passenger traffic and the airport’s commercial sector. By 1997, YLW was handling more than 800,000 passengers annually, making it one of the fastest-growing airports in North America. A $20-million expansion in 1998 prepared the airport for the anticipated milestone of one million passengers by 2011.

Fast forward to today, and YLW has become Canada’s 9th busiest airport, serving 2,133,582 passengers in 2024. From a grass airstrip to an international hub, Kelowna’s airport has come a long way—and it’s still climbing.

Ellison Field Taphouse

YLW’s newest food and beverage spot, Ellison Field Taphouse, is now open in the former White Spot location before security. The name pays homage to the historic Ellison Field—the very ground the modern airport sits on today. With a complete renovation that includes expanded seating and a full kitchen, the taphouse celebrates both the region’s aviation heritage and its thriving craft beer scene.

Beer lovers will appreciate the taphouse’s partnership with The BC Ale Trail, which brings an exclusive lineup of draught beers straight from seven nearby Okanagan breweries. It’s a beer-forward menu that showcases local craft brewing talent, making it a perfect spot to relax before your flight, or the perfect first stop when you get to town to experience a true taste of place, and set the tone for your visit.

Enjoy craft beer from:

• Abandoned Rail Brewing Co. (Penticton)
• BNA Brewing Co. (Kelowna, Vernon and Penticton)
• Cannery Brewing (Penticton)
• Copper Brewing Co. (Kelowna)
• Kelowna Beer Institute (Kelowna)
• Tin Whistle Brewing (Penticton)
• Yellow Dog Brewing (Penticton and Port Moody)

The food menu offers something for every time of day and taste. Breakfast options include avocado toast, breakfast brioche, Greek yogurt, strawberry whipped ricotta toast, and a hearty farmer wrap. For lunch and dinner, guests can choose from contemporary appetizers like burrata, honey sriracha lime wings, and loaded hummus, along with mains like flatbreads, a honey dijon chicken sandwich, smoked turkey club, Mediterranean grain bowl, and roasted beet and orange salad.

Whether you’re grabbing a quick bite or settling in with a local brew, Ellison Field Taphouse brings a taste of the Okanagan to your travel experience.

Every Pint Tells a Story

Supporting Local. Celebrating Community.

The post Discover Kelowna’s Ellison Field Taphouse – From Historic Flights to Beer Flights appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

We asked BC Ale Trail fans to vote for their favourite cozy brewery space across the province, and the responses poured in, just like a rainstorm on a dreary Vancouver day. From covered and heated patios complete with firepits, to comfortable nooks with cushy seating (perfect for enjoying a book or board game), to warming seasonal brews and menus full of comfort food, BC breweries are the perfect place to go this fall when you want to relax and unwind.

We’ve tallied the votes, and we’re excited to share the results. Over 700 votes were cast for 134 different breweries from around the province—from Vancouver Island to the Kootenays and Northern BC. Whether you’re looking for a fireside pint after a rainy-day hike or a warm corner to catch up with friends, these breweries have mastered the art of cozy. Without further ado, here are your Top 10 Cozy BC Breweries:

1: BC’s Coziest Brewery (as voted by YOU!) – Camp Beer Co

Camp Beer Co. has got a serious fan base in their hometown of Langley, BC – and beyond – and it’s easy to see why. Camp has mastered the art of creating a brewery that feels less like a tasting room and more like gathering around the campfire with friends. The moment you step inside, you’re greeted by thoughtfully designed spaces that invite you to settle in and stay awhile. The heated, glass-enclosed patio—complete with an actual fire pit and large retractable doors—creates that perfect indoor-outdoor flow that works in any weather. Inside, the experience only gets cozier with distinct zones like The Cabin, featuring cedar-board walls and a fireplace, and the Chalet and Woods sections within Camp Grounds coffee shop that feature a faux long fireplace that’s particularly magical during winter months. Board games are ready for borrowing, dogs are welcome on the patio, and the Camp Outfitters retail area doubles as an ambiance-rich space where you can browse merchandise among the beer barrels aging select brews.

The crew at Camp has skillfully woven quality craft beer into this welcoming environment. Their rotating seasonal lineup keeps things fresh, with exciting returns like First Light Coffee Cream Ale, a local favourite brewed with Camp Grounds Coffee, and the award-winning Flannel Pyjamas mocha imperial stout, which will be making its seasonal reappearance around their annual birthday celebration. The brewery’s creative approach extends to collaborations with breweries across BC, Alberta, and Manitoba, showcasing their adventurous craft-beer ethos while maintaining the high quality that’s earned them recognition at the BC Beer Awards and Canada Beer Cup.

The beer community’s love for Camp Beer Co comes down to authenticity—this is a space genuinely designed for comfort and connection rather than just beer consumption.

Because the beers are creative and high quality, the community trusts what we do. Combine that with a space that feels more like friends gathering than a formal tasting room, and you get love from locals and visitors alike.

The patio has earned its reputation as one of BC’s best for that “camp-style hangout” feeling and all-season accessibility, while the various seating zones encourage lingering conversations over exceptional pints. Whether you’re a Langley local or a craft beer enthusiast travelling through BC, Camp delivers that rare combination of creative brews, seasonal surprises, and a space that makes you feel like you’re hanging out at a friend’s place rather than just visiting another brewery.

Previously, Camp won the BC Ale Trail Best Brewery Experience in 2022, and was voted one of the top 10 patio spaces on the BC Ale Trail this past summer. They were also named Brewery of the Year at the 2025 BC Beer Awards.

Find Camp Beer Co in Langley, BC, on the Langley Ale Trail

2: Locality Brewing

Cozy looks a little different at Locality Brewing — and craft beer fans love that. We’re talking farm-fresh air, crackling fire pits, big blankets, good friends, and beer made from the fields behind the lagoon you’re looking at. It’s less “cabin in the mountains” and more “welcome to your favourite farm hangout — we saved you a seat.” The Lodge gives all the warm-wood, fireside energy, and outside you’ll find sheltered nooks, heaters, teahouse seating, and those fire pits that keep coming up. Whether you’re curling up with a pint or just soaking in the view, cozy is a vibe all its own at Locality.

This time of year calls for beers worth lingering over; here’s what’s on tap to keep you warm: Goldilocks Oatmeal Stout (creamy, chocolatey, and just right), Farm-Fresh English IPA (brewed with hops grown right there on the farm – get it before it disappears!), plus rotating seasonal surprises that make each visit feel a little bit special. Keep an eye out for an upcoming collaboration beer release made with Barn Owl Brewing: Apple Pie Saison.

Why do people love Locality? “We like to think it’s because we treat everyone like family — and because nothing beats sipping beer where it’s grown, malted, and brewed. Locality is a little slice of farm magic, and whether you’re bringing your pup, your kids, your date, or your whole crew, you’re welcome here,” says the team at Locality.

Visitors always tell us the same thing: “You come once, and it instantly feels like your spot.” We think that’s because you can feel the heart in this place — and the people behind it.

“BC beer fans show up, support local, and love a good story in their pint — and we’re grateful to be part of such a passionate, creative craft community,” they continue. “So bundle up, bring your favourite people, and come get cozy on the farm. Fires on, good beer flowing, and room for everyone — that’s the Locality way. See you soon — your seat by the fire is waiting.”

Find Locality Brewing in Langley, BC, on the Langley Ale Trail

3: Field House Brewing – ABBY and CHWK

While several votes specifically called out Field House Brewing’s Abbotsford location, many simply noted Field House as their favourite cozy spot—and both of this Fraser Valley brewery’s locations definitely hit the mark. Both locations were built for cozy moments, the kind where you can slow down, grab a pint, and settle in with good company. Each space has its own charm, but both share that Field House feeling: welcoming, laid-back, and full of character. In Abbotsford, you’ll find guests gathered around the big stone fireplace, especially on rainy afternoons! In Chilliwack, the modern lodge-style fireplace brings that same cozy energy, perfect for settling in with a flight or a seasonal stout.

They’ve also got board games you can borrow, so whether you’re posted up by the fire, enjoying the patio with heaters and a screen, or tucked into a corner table with friends, there’s always a reason to stay a little longer.

Keep an eye out for fresh seasonal beers dropping every week – from refreshing sips like the Super Tall Key Lime Pie Sour to Field House’s upcoming holiday dessert stouts.

Field House is all about creating a space where everyone feels at home. From our cozy fireplaces and inviting taprooms to our friendly team behind the bar, we want every guest to feel like they belong. We focus on making great beer that sparks conversation and moments worth lingering over. We brew more than just good beer, we brew good times at Field House.

Come for the beer, stay for the community, and know that there’s always a place for you here at Field House.

Find Field House Brewing in Abbotsford, BC, and Chilliwack, BC, on the Fraser Valley Ale Trail

4: Barn Owl Brewing

The renovated 1920s heritage barn that houses Barn Owl Brewing in Kelowna is a special space. From the intimate taproom, where you can cozy up at the bar across from the taps and friendly taproom staff, to the epic loft complete with community tables, fireplace, shuffleboard table, games cupboard and view of the brewing area, to the intimate patio space that welcomes pets and people, complete with grassed area where you can pull up a chair or a blanket, you can’t really go wrong when choosing where to cozy up with your pint or flight.

There’s always something new on tap to pair with your visit. A seasonal favourite, the Nutty Owl Vanilla Chestnut Ale, is about to make its reappearance, and the team is also about to release a new community brew in support of the Canucks Autism Network.

If you ask Gary Brucker, co-founder of Barn Owl, what makes the taproom a cozy fan-favourite, he’s got no shortage of reasons: “Our setting, our brews and other beverage offerings, our team, our live music (twice a week all year), our daily food trucks, our pet-friendly patio, our adjoining Coffeehouse, our allowance of outside food and more.” If you want to read more about Barn Owl and their dedication to craft and community, check out the Hops Among Friends blog featuring an interview with Gary.

Find Barn Owl Brewing in Kelowna, BC, on the Kelowna and West Kelowna Ale Trail

5: Nelson Brewing Company

Nelson Brewing Company is located in the heart of the West Kootenays, nestled among the Selkirk Mountains and a stone’s throw from the shores of Kootenay Lake. Housed in an original 1800s historic brewery building, their small but mighty tap room is a hub for locals and tourists alike. The charming gas fireplace and cozy leather seats make it the perfect place to unwind, connect with friends, and sample new creations from the brew team. There are plenty of games to play and even an old chairlift retired from the local ski hill, repurposed into a swing on the patio.

We’re proud of our name and the place we call home. We’re more than just a brewery here in Nelson, we’re your neighbours!

Keeping on theme of cozy taproom, NBC has brewed up something special this fall: A Peach Cobbler Hazy IPA. This isn’t your grandma’s cobbler! It’s brewed with peach purée, cinnamon, vanilla, and a touch of salt. A full-bodied, dessert-inspired ale, juicy, decadent, and loaded with Dolcita hops.  Keep your eyes peeled for its release this month.

Find Nelson Brewing Company in Nelson, BC, on the Kootenay Rockies West Ale Trail

6: Deadfall Brewing Company

Deadfall Brewing Company in Prince George, BC, is a small (30-person capacity), inclusive, and fully accessible brewery.  Along with having only low-top tables and a counter-height bar for accessibility, they also supply free menstrual products and free diaper changing supplies.

When we reached out to the team at Deadfall to ask what makes their space so cozy and why their fans love their space, they provided us with a list that comes straight from their fans:

• No TV or plug-ins
• Velvety couches and warm, inviting colours
• No ‘fake’ people
• ‘Hole in the wall’ vibes
• POOCHES!
• The brewery isn’t hidden away behind walls; it’s visible from the taproom area
• Funky art and plants
• A library with books and board games to borrow
• Small, intimate live shows, and a great playlist on days without live music
• Fully accessible
• The Code of Conduct

As we move into winter, we also move into dark beer season. Keep an eye out for Deadfall’s seasonal releases:  the recently released Cherry Porter, and a Milk Stout is on the way as well.

Find Deadfall Brewing in Prince George, BC, on the Northwest BC Ale Trail

7: Wheelhouse Brewing Company

Wheelhouse Brewing Company occupies Prince Rupert’s original train station building right at the water’s edge. The heritage architecture, modern comforts, and stunning harbour views create a cozy atmosphere enhanced by vintage nautical touches throughout.

The main level features a bar with a bartop crafted from 100-year-old reclaimed fir beams, an open kitchen with a wood-fired pizza oven, and a patio just steps from the Pacific Ocean—perfect for chatting with bartenders and fellow beer lovers while pizza aromas fill the air, or catching a sunset from the patio with your dog. Upstairs, the Sunroom offers a cozy fireplace and floor-to-ceiling windows with expansive 270° harbour views—what regulars call “some of the best seats in the house for relaxing, whale watching, and unwinding.”

Beyond great beer and pizza, Wheelhouse offers entertainment for all moods: a full bookcase of games from children’s favourites to strategy games to Cribbage, Game-On Thursdays featuring trivia and music bingo, and monthly Whispers of Wool gatherings for crafters.

One standout offering is the Rain Gauge Lager, brewed each October. This traditional German lager has unique pricing: the more it rains in Prince Rupert, the more the pint price drops. As Wheelhouse says, “Here, at the wettest brewery in Canada, we embrace precipitation. When you live in Prince Rupert, you can’t let a little thing like rain stop you from getting out with friends for a good time and a delicious craft beer.”

“Wheelhouse was built by friends who wanted to make great beer and create something meaningful for the North and Prince Rupert,” explains founder Craig Outhet. “Our staff are here because they want to be—they love the Wheelhouse family we’ve built. The brick walls, local history, pet and kid-friendly vibes, and our forno oven from a family business in Naples all add to that welcoming ‘come-as-you-are’ atmosphere.”

At Wheelhouse we encourage you to relax, eat, socialize, and take in the view — we’re not just a quick pour.

Find Wheelhouse Brewing in Prince Rupert, BC, on the Northwest BC Ale Trail

8: Abandoned Rail Brewing Co

Abandoned Rail Brewing Co is truly a destination where people can slow down and connect — with each other, with the land, and with the beer. Set on a working farm where they grow their own barley, and surrounded by vineyards, the scenic KVR Trail, and stunning mountain views, Abandoned Rail is all about celebrating community and craft in the heart of the South Okanagan. The taproom is small and intimate, which naturally creates a cozy and welcoming atmosphere. A beautiful gas fireplace adds warmth through the colder months, while the soft lighting and comfortable décor make it an inviting place to settle in with a pint. Guests can often be found gathered around the communal tables playing one of the many board games that are available, or outside around the large fire pit in the winter.

We’re proud to be a Rainbow Registered space, creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels at home. Families, pets, locals, and travellers alike are always welcome. Our team’s friendly and down-to-earth approach, paired with the community feel of our farm brewery, makes it a place people return to again and again.

Keep an eye out! The brew team at Abandoned Rail are crafting a new seasonal beer — a dark IPA featuring cherries grown right beside the picnic tables in their patio space. They’ve even asked their followers to help name it! Alongside that, the Bellhop Porter returns as a cozy winter favourite — it’s a three-time consecutive Canadian gold medal winner (2023, 2024, and 2025).

Find Abandoned Rail Brewing Co in Penticton on the Penticton Ale Trail

9 (tie): Barnside Brewing

Nestled among the farmlands of Delta, Barnside Brewing’s tasting room blends the charm of a working farm with the comfort of a community gathering place. The feedback they hear most often is that it feels like spending time in your friend’s backyard. Built from the ground up using reclaimed barn wood from local farms, the space has a rustic warmth the moment you walk in. Big communal tables, soft lighting, and views over the hop fields make it the perfect place to settle in with friends, a pint, farm-to-plate menu choices, and great conversation.

There’s no shortage of year-round cozy corners. From the couches by the fireplace to the long tables under the heated pavilion overlooking the fields—or inside with views of the brewing tanks and historical map—guests can choose their own spot to unwind. Board games are always on hand, and there’s often something happening, from trivia to special seasonal events that bring the community together.

As the weather cools, the seasonal beer lineup heats up. Just in time for the hockey season, the Five For Fighting Hazy Pale Ale is back on tap! And if you are looking for the perfect companion for chilly days, try the Porter – rich, and toasty. Every Barnside beer is made with a focus on ingredients grown right in Delta – notably their own barley and hops – giving every pint a true taste of place.

What makes Barnside so welcoming is our people – both our team and our guests. There’s a genuine sense of connection here; farmers, families, locals, and craft beer lovers from all over share stories over a beer made just steps from where its ingredients were grown.

The team at Barnside is ready to welcome you: “For BC craft beer fans, we’d just say: come visit the farm! There’s always something new on tap, a warm welcome waiting, and a seat by the fire with your name on it.”

Find Barnside Brewing in Delta, BC on the South of the Fraser Ale Trail

9 (tie): Farmhouse Brewing Co.

Chilliwack’s only farm-based brewery, Farmhouse Brewing Co., offers a cozy atmosphere where visitors can truly unplug and unwind. From seasonal decor to rustic barn wood walls, every detail creates a warm, welcoming vibe.

Guests can settle beside the crackling wood fire outside, grab a spot on the plush couches around a fire table on the covered and heated patio, or relax beneath cozy lights in the solarium. The Tasting Lounge has plenty of seating options, plus board games to enjoy with your favourite people. With 18 beer taps and new seasonal releases throughout the year, Farmhouse keeps craft beer fans coming back for more. Their British Nut Brown hit the taps this week, and dark beer lovers should definitely watch for a pair of upcoming Porter releases! If you want to keep things on the lighter side, seasonal, rotating radlers are on tap throughout the season.

Farmhouse welcomes everyone—all ages, all people—with friendly staff who make sure you feel right at home. Well-behaved, leashed pups are welcome in all outdoor spaces, because at Farmhouse, pets are family, too.

Whether you’re gathering indoors or out, Farmhouse is the perfect spot for quality time in a laid-back, comfortable atmosphere.

Find Farmhouse Brewing Co. in Chilliwack, BC, on the Fraser Valley Ale Trail

Every Pint Tells a Story

Supporting Local. Celebrating Community.

The post Warmth & Welcome: BC’s Top 10 Coziest Breweries (as Voted by You!) appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

Those were the words spoken to Michael Friesen, head brewer at The Patch Brewery in Maple Ridge, by a fellow brewer shortly before their grand opening in August 2024. One year later, as the brewery celebrates its first anniversary, that brewer’s words seem prophetic. I sat down with Michael and co-owner Rebecca Laity to chat about The Patch’s first year and plans for the future.

A Slow Burn: Opening a Farm-Based Family Brewery

Rumours of The Patch were circulating years before their opening day. As other farm brewery owners will understand only too well, the bureaucratic hurdles required to open The Patch were substantial. 

The Laity family has lived and run businesses in the area for generations. However, it wasn’t until around 2017 that brothers Doug and Jeff Laity, along with their wives Kaitlyn and Rebecca, considered the possibility of a farm brewery.  The hard work that Persephone Brewing in Gibsons did to change the laws around agricultural land use inspired them. “We have this land, we could start a brewery!” Rebecca remembers the family thinking.  

It didn’t happen right away. They planted barley and hops and hired an architect to design the brewery buildings, but had to contract-brew out of Taylight and Locality while they slowly hacked away at bureaucratic red tape. At last, in summer 2024, they received final approval for opening their brewery. 

This delay wasn’t all negative, though. Rebecca recalls how those years of planning revealed the welcoming and collegial nature of the craft beer community. She and Jeff visited almost every brewery in the lower mainland – and others overseas – and at each one, Jeff would try to talk to the owner. “Everyone was so open and collaborative,” Rebecca says. “They were all willing to help us out.”

A Year of Challenges and Celebrations

Once The Patch opened its doors, that prediction about a tsunami of people came true. The huge outdoor patio space that welcomes children and dogs, combined with a solid taplist and delicious pizzas, immediately drew in the crowds. On busy weekends, parking attendants were on duty to facilitate the flow of traffic. Speaking as a regular brewery patron myself, I’ve rarely seen this kind of popularity. The Patch must be doing something right.

A large customer base is great, but every benefit has its drawbacks. “There were non-stop adjustments, and staffing was one of our biggest challenges,” Rebecca says. “We had to hire 50 additional staff within the first week of opening.” And the hiring has continued – along with the additional work required for staff training. The hundreds of customer seats available mean that they need more staff if they want to optimize their space. 

Providing efficient customer service as they welcome people in is another priority. The brewery’s popularity required a waitlist system almost immediately. Rebecca remembers that they began with a handwritten waitlist, then moved to a texting system, and now they use an online program. Customers can now add themselves to the waitlist while they’re still at home and check their spot before they head out. It’s been a game-changer.

Once patrons were inside the brewery, there were other difficulties to sort out. The flow of customers from counter to table – and the different options, like table service or counter service – has gone through several iterations. Rebecca acknowledges that this can be frustrating for repeat customers, who may have experienced different “rules” during different visits. It’s also difficult for staff. However, they’ve now found a good balance, and they plan to stick with it.

A final hurdle of their first exciting year was the beer supply. They were selling almost all of their beer directly to customers at the counter. This is great news for any brewery, but it meant that they didn’t have enough beer to fill the cans in their off-sales fridge. Increasing production within their existing brewhouse space required a skilled game of fermentation tank Tetris.  

What Makes The Patch Unique?

A craft brewery won’t find success just by brewing fantastic beer or having a trendy taproom. It needs to hit that perfect balance of high-quality beer (and food, if offered), a welcoming, community-oriented space, and staff who care about the customers. The Patch seems to have found that balance in their first year.

Head brewer Michael Friesen is passionate about this brewery and what it can offer to Maple Ridge. He’s designed the brewhouse for top efficiency, using large serving tanks rather than kegs for the front of house taps (trust me when I say this saves a great deal of time and hassle) and piping the lines underground to feed the taps in the little “Beer Barn” outside. He’s also crafted a taplist that embodies local flavours and histories within a range of beer styles that will appeal to the brewery’s broad demographic. 

It starts with a good lager. “Gotta have a good house lager,” he told me. A lager is a good litmus test for a brewery; you can’t hide any flaws. The Laity Lager is excellent. It’s crisp, clean, and approachable – not too “crafty” for the folks who are used to macro lagers, but a quality beer that craft beer nerds will appreciate. Another popular lager on tap is the 1879 Patch Pilsner, Michael’s twist on a Czech pilsner. It’s named after the year in which the Laity family settled in the region. To Michael, understanding both local history and beer history are crucial if you’re a brewer. “Brewers should have a core knowledge of traditional beer styles,” he says. “They have their foot planted in the past – they know the history. But they should also be aware of innovations happening in beer. Once you know what the rules are, then you can break them.” 

And he’s done a bit of breaking with the 1879 Patch Pilsner. Using imported European floor-malted barley, he puts the wort through an extra-long boil, ages it for three weeks in a foeder (a big wooden barrel), then krausens it to allow natural carbonation, then does a final dry hop. It’s served with a traditional Czech side-pull tap. The subtle vanilla and toffee notes drawn from the wood aging stop it from being a conventional Czech pilsner, but that’s part of its charm; this pilsner is the Laity version of the traditional Czech beer. 

Other core beers, like the Fat Tractor Hazy IPA and the Three Peaks West Coast IPA, evoke local landmarks and sights. Early in our conversation, Michael and Rebecca described the haze that settled over the fields in early August, when the barley was being harvested. I thought of that when I picked up a can of Fat Tractor and looked out the window to see the farm’s tractor sitting in the freshly shorn fields. The rotating taps, including the Sour Patch series and the hefeweizen, reflect seasonal aspects of the local landscape – berries, wheat fields, mountains. 

There are plenty of non-alcoholic options as well, including Phillips Brewing’s non-alcoholic beers, Ole mocktails, and lemonade, iced tea, and Italian sodas. However, one unique inclusion is their coffee bar – a big draw for tired parents who stop by when the brewery opens at 10 am. After discovering an amazing coffee shop on Vancouver Island, Drumroasters, the Laitys went into partnership with the owners. Drumroasters supplies their espresso machine and makes a special roast for The Patch based on Maple Ridge’s water chemistry. You can get anything from a drip coffee to flavoured lattes to matcha to cold brew to hot chocolate.

And finally – food! If you’re in the mood for more than something to sip on, The Patch has you covered with their new menu. While they started with pizza as their mainstay, they’ve expanded to include muffins and pastries, fried chicken, burgers (there are vegan options for these latter two), and salads. A large food truck out back expands their kitchen facilities and helps feed the hundreds of hungry patrons who enter their doors each day.

Looking to the Future

After one year of beautiful chaos and smashing success, The Patch has found its place in the Maple Ridge community. It’s giving the locals something that they’ll come back for repeatedly. Open air, good beer and food, play space for kids and dogs…it’s all here. After a year of consistent pivoting and adjustments to make things work, what does the future look like?

Rebecca feels like they’re just getting started. “We’ve done a lot, but there’s so much more we’d like to do,” she says. “We’d like to expand our food menu and host more events.” An Oktoberfest celebration is currently in the works, although fairly laid-back; business as usual, but with some fun additions. “It’s not a ticketed event,” Rebecca emphasizes, although ticketed events are likely a future possibility. They will also continue to build up their staff in order to ensure quality customer service and good management.

On the brewing side, one thing that isn’t in the immediate future is wider distribution. They’ll continue to focus on selling beer to the customers who come to them for that farm brewery experience. From Michael’s perspective, this is the dream for a brewer. They don’t feel like they’re brewing for a sales team; they’re brewing for their customers, and they’re brewing styles they love. “We can brew the beer the best we can and get instant feedback from people coming in,” says Michael. “We use our passion and creativity.” 

At the same time, as both Michael and Rebecca emphasize, the brewer’s passion must align with the customer base for the brewery. “We had to learn about our audience, and I think we’ve done a great job of making very approachable beers,” says Rebecca. Combining creativity with approachability is something Michael’s done well. He anticipates introducing a barrel-aging program in future, so keep an eye out for that!

A Beer to Celebrate One Year: the Anniversary Brew

Today, The Patch is releasing its much-anticipated first anniversary beer – their “One Year Beer”, a cold-lagered IPA that’s similar to a West Coast IPA but crisper and cleaner. Using a superpowered lager yeast strain (for the brewing science nerds, the superpowers involve biotransformation caused by the release of thiols), Michael brewed the beer with BC-grown Saaz and Cascade hops, fermented it, dry-hopped it with tropical New Zealand hops, aged it in a foeder, krausened it in a stainless steel tank, then double dry-hopped it. 

If that sounds a bit confusing and complicated to make – it is. But it’s definitely worth drinking! This beer has a lager’s beautiful golden clarity, but its fruity aroma and first sip suggest a hazy IPA with melon, grapefruit, guava, and peach notes. Mid-palate, that sip takes a turn to West Coast IPA territory with citrus pith and pine. The finish is satisfying; clean and fairly quick, with just a bit of lingering piney bitterness. As Michael puts it, this beer takes you on a journey. It will sell out quickly, so make sure you get down to the taproom ASAP. 

Congratulations to the owners and staff of The Patch on a brilliantly successful first year. We’re all looking forward to seeing what you do next!

Every Pint Tells a Story

Supporting Local. Celebrating Community.

The post The Patch Brewery in Maple Ridge Celebrates Their First Year in Beer appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

Set on the traditional territory of the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ and lovingly called “Ukee” (you-key) by locals, this west coast town is a true safe harbour for all walks of life. And at the edge of the Pacific, in a beautifully restored church overlooking the inlet, you’ll find Ucluelet Brewing Company.

It’s more than just a brewery. It’s a gathering place for the community. A local landmark where tourists and locals feel equally at home. Hikers, kayakers, fishers, beachcombers, newcomers, and old friends all come together here to raise a glass and enjoy each other’s company.

Whether you’re wrapping up an afternoon on the Wild Pacific Trail or easing into the evening after a stormy morning, Ucluelet Brewing is where stories are shared and the beer is always good.

A Sacred Space, Reimagined

The brewery’s home, once St. Aidan On-the-Hill, is as iconic as the beer it now houses. Originally built in 1929 as the smallest church on Vancouver Island, the building was expanded in the 1950s using salvaged wood from a WWII seaplane base in an early act of community sustainability that still echoes through the space. After decades as the town’s smallest church, youth center and event space, it was retired in 2010 and then rescued by local builder Leif Hagar and friends who saw its soul and set out to reawaken it.

By early 2020, the brewery opened its doors. It quickly became a staple in the community, offering BC craft beer lovers a welcoming, accessible, and energetic place to share stories, raise a glass, and feel like you belong.

Inside, you can still feel the church’s bones. The bar and kitchen are fronted with original joists pulled from the very floor where the brewing equipment now stands. The coveted booth beneath the bell tower has heard its share of salt-stained stories, and the beer lineup offers playful nods to the past with names like Seventh Day Kölsch, Resurrection Red Ale, and St. Aidan’s Porter.

A Home for the Community

From the beginning, Ucluelet Brewing has been rooted in something deeper than just good beer. Located on Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ territory, the brewery is mindful of the land, waters, and people who have called this part of the island home for generations. That sense of respect carries through everything they do.

They play an active role in the community by supporting local events like Ukee Days, the Pacific Rim Whale Festival, and the West Coast Longboard Competition. They back organizations including Redd Fish Restoration Society, Surfrider, the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust, and the Ucluelet Aquarium. They also contribute to local safety efforts through groups like West Coast Inland Search and Rescue and the Tofino General Hospital Foundation.

From hosting a fundraiser, sponsoring a community event, or simply offering a warm space to gather, Ucluelet Brewing shows up with care and consistency. It’s a place built with intention, grounded in community, and connected to the land it stands on.

Brewing With Purpose

Built into the daily operations, sustainability is more than a buzzword for Ucluelet Brewing. Certified by the Surfrider Ocean Friendly Business program, the brewery focuses on reducing waste and supporting the local economy. Their initiatives include a Pak-Tek holder return program, strong recycling efforts, and environmentally-conscious brewing processes. Spent grain is composted, given to local pig farmers, or repurposed into homemade dog treats.

Even the merchandise tells a story. Every piece is sourced and printed locally, with the intention of keeping dollars in the community. Beverage options extend beyond beer, too. Guests can sip Tofino Kombucha, local wines, Island spirits, and non-alcoholic options that reflect the region’s diversity.

In the kitchen, the menu reflects the region itself. Dishes showcase local ingredients, with everything from ocean catches to foraged finds and thoughtfully raised BC meats showcasing fresh, seasonal and full-flavour bites. The offerings shift with the seasons, giving both locals and visitors something new to look forward to.

The brewing team keeps things fresh behind the bar with a rotating selection of craft beers. Crisp lagers, hop-forward IPAs and rich, malty ales reflect a mix of creativity, skill, and a deep love for the craft in every pour.

Exploring Ukee: Where Adventure Ends with a Pint

Ucluelet invites you to slow down and take it all in. That’s part of what makes Ucluelet Brewing the perfect base camp on the island. After a full day out in the fresh air, that pint feels well-earned.

Start your morning with a coffee from Foggy Bean, located just downstairs in the same building. From there, stroll down to the harbour or swing by Ukee Snack Shack for a quick bite before hitting the trail or heading out on the water. Need gear? Relic Surf Shop and Long Beach Surf Shop have what you need. Looking for something fun or unexpected? The Crow’s Nest is a favourite for browsing and picking up something special.

A day in Ucluelet might include a paddle along the coast, a walk through mossy forest trails, or a few rounds on Ucluelet’s new 9-hole disc golf course. However you spend your time, it all leads back to that cold sip at the brewery.

On sunny afternoons, the patio looks out over Č̓um̓aat̓a (Mount Ozzard) and the Ucluelet Inlet. When the weather cools down, the vibe moves indoors. Board games come out, the space fills with laughter, and the brewery’s cozy charm really shines.

Time your visit just right, and you might catch live music, a local art show, or one of the many community events that make the brewery feel like the heart of town.

More Than a Brewery

There’s a quiet pride in the way Ucluelet Brewing operates. It shows in the thoughtful renovations, the quality of the beer, the consistency of its community involvement, and the welcoming way they treat everyone who walks through the doors.

When a brewery becomes a local landmark and a community gathering spot all at once, you know there’s something special happening.

The next time you find yourself on the west coast of Vancouver Island heading towards Tofino, carve out some time for Ucluelet. Let the ocean air clear your mind, let the forest trails stretch your legs, and let a cold pint remind you that you may come for the coast, but it’s places like Ucluelet Brewing that make you want to stay a little longer.

Find the community of Ucluelet and Ucluelet Brewing Company on the Pacific Rim Ale Trail.

Every Pint Tells a Story

Supporting Local. Celebrating Community.

The post Tides & Taps: Ucluelet’s Coastal Gathering Place appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

In this 24th instalment, I chat with Josh Vanderheide (aka JV), founder of Field House Brewing in East Abbotsford and downtown Chilliwack.

Josh was chosen by my last guest, Gary Brucker from Barn Owl Brewing, as the next interviewee in this ongoing “tag-you’re-it” style series. Although this was our first time connecting, our conversation via Google Meet felt like we were sharing a beer in person. We covered everything from Field House’s beginnings in 2015 to Josh’s thoughts on the future of BC craft beer.

It’s a longer read, but full of insight — so grab a pint and enjoy.

And if you’ve missed any previous interviews, you can catch up on them here.

Kim: I always find it interesting to hear how people got started in the industry. Josh, how did you get started in craft beer?

Josh: Yeah, you’re right. There are a lot of different pathways to craft beer. Mine started not in brewing but on the marketing side of things. My career was in marketing. It’s what I went to school for, and then I moved into graphic design, then branding, and brand strategy. I had a boutique design studio called Also Known As in Gastown with my business partner Jesse Bannister. We worked with hospitality businesses, and we ended up specializing in consumer products, including wineries, distilleries, and breweries. Early on, we did the branding for Yellow Dog and Twin Sails. We did a rebrand for Fernie. We did some work for Russell and Steel & Oak. We also helped Small Gods with their branding. I suppose I made my way around the industry in this way early on, before I decided to take the leap and start my own brewery.

We were watching this industry evolve, and we were like, man, this looks like fun. One day, we were on a road trip to the Great Canadian Beer Festival in Victoria because our clients were there. On that trip, Jesse asked if there were any breweries in Abbotsford, and when I realized there weren’t any, he suggested that we open one. By this time, I had moved from the city back to Abbotsford with my family, and thought, yes, let’s do this.

So that was really the first conversation about the possibility of opening a brewery. That was in September. I wrote the business plan in November and December, and then my wife, Gina, and I launched the business. Within a year, we found the building, raised the funds, completely renovated an old car garage, and opened Field House.

With my background, I knew what we needed to do to get open and get all of the permits, and I had some great industry connections to help get through the process. At that time, there was a reason there wasn’t a brewery in Abbotsford. It related to an older bylaw that you could have a brewery, but you couldn’t have a tasting room. But then City Council modernized the bylaw, and three of us opened up within about a year. Field House, Ravens Brewing, and Old Abbey Ales.

For me, coming from the brand and marketing side, of course, we needed a great brewer. So, my first hire was Parker, our head brewer, and he’s still with us 10 years later. He’s been an awesome partner and collaborator for a long time now.

What we went through back then is a bit different than what breweries have to go through today to open a new brewery. I feel like everything has gotten a lot more complicated and much more expensive. At the time, we could open a brewery for $600-700K. Now, new breweries are looking at more like $1.5-2 million to open.

Kim: I understand you built your brewery with crowdsourced funding. Tell me more about this.

Josh: We were running a lean budget. We were putting our money into the business, along with money from whoever we could find that would come along with our crazy idea. With my marketing background, we decided to do a Kickstarter to find more people who would be willing to support us. It was really fun. It’s still online and it features my wife’s ‘Dutch Oma’. She’s the main character in the video, and she’s quite a fun person. We intentionally made it look low-budget to actually make it look like we needed the money. The reality is that we didn’t have lots of money, so it was easy to make it look that way.

You can watch the video by clicking here, or click on the graphic below.

If you watch the video, it actually came right after one of our lowest points. We were in the middle of renovating, and we had ripped off the roof. We had this small window to do the repairs and re-roof it. But in that window, it started pouring rain. And we ended up with a foot of rain in our office area the day before we were going to film inside. I knew we couldn’t show this. No one would believe that we could open the brewery because it was so bad.

Kim: So, is crowdsourced funding a model that you would recommend to other breweries? Was it worth it in the end for the investment of time you put into it?

Josh: I do. Our goal was to raise $20K, and we ended up raising almost $30K. We really needed those funds. Other breweries like Firehall, Persephone, and Container have also gone with a crowdfunding model.

We’re actually looking at another one as we expand our business. We’re looking to go back to crowdfunding again to raise capital, but in a different way. I think if you look at the economy right now and the state of the industry, it’s really hard to convince people to invest in a brewery today.

So, yes, I would encourage it. But you need to know that it’s going to take some work and time, but you can reap the rewards of that work and be a bit more efficient from an equity perspective. We did a Kickstarter campaign, which is great for a small crowdfunding project in the $30-50K range. There are other good crowdfunding platforms out there, too. I’d say there’s also been an evolution of crowdfunding. It’s actually a mix of your crowdsourcing campaign, investment from your friends and fans, and also people who are actually real investors that are writing significant cheques.

Kim: Your brewery has been around since 2015. What makes Field House so special?

Josh: Well. Good question. How do I say these things in the most humble way? I’m not the brewer, but I do think our beer program stands out in the industry. We still release one, two, three, or six new beers on a regular basis. We released nine new beers in a week for our anniversary.

Apart from that, every week we have a new beer or two. It might seem exhausting, and I don’t know that there’s anybody else who can keep up with the pace of innovation that our team can.

And again, I say this humbly, but I really feel like with all of those beer releases, none of those beers are ever a miss for me. There’s very rarely a beer that we try and think it is not up to our standards. That’s because the beers all build on each other. We’ve developed expertise in sours and IPAs, and we have good technical expertise with these styles. We are still trying new things and innovating with techniques and ingredients – pushing the limits on flavour and innovation. I’m super proud of the team and how they can continue to innovate at such a rapid pace, while also maintaining quality. I’d say that’s probably why I think we’ve been successful over the last 10 years.

I think what we do is quite unique in the market. I’d say Backcountry is probably similar to us. We probably make about the same amount of beer, give or take. And we probably have about the same amount of new releases, and we make some awesome beers, and kill it on the marketing side of things as well.

In addition, another thing I think makes us special is that we have another whole area of our business. We’re expanding right now and building out our portfolio. We just acquired NiceLife Cocktail Company through a merger last year, and so now we’re doing the same thing with cocktails. We’re releasing innovative, high-quality craft ready-to-drink cocktails under the NiceLife brand. We’ve launched four new brands in the last three months since that acquisition. We have a new tequila RTD line called The Sunrise Hotel. We have a new cider line called Rest & Recreation Cider. We have a new full Gin & Juice line-up with multiple products.

Now we’re building out our non-alcoholic portfolio, which is up next, and we’re really excited about it. We’re a bit late to the party, but we have been testing a lot of things, and we just released our first product.

While we continue to innovate on the beer side, we are pushing the portfolio wider, and in each of those portfolios, we are going deep as well.

Kim: Wow. That is absolutely incredible. Being in the industry myself, I know what it takes to keep releasing new products, and you guys are doing it every week. Are all your new releases packaged, or are some of them draft only?

Josh: There’s the occasional beer that we release from our Chilliwack location, which is our R&D brewery, that we do draft releases only, but it’s usually on top of another packaging release. Otherwise, all the releases are packaged. The team really pushes the envelope of what can be done at that pace and frequency. It’s been cool to watch it and just try to keep up with it. Honestly, I don’t even drink every beer that we release. I can’t even track them all down.

We used to have a really fun program when we had our smaller test system. We called it “crew beers,” and anybody could propose a concept for a beer. Then that crew member would work with one of the brewers to refine the idea and make the beer, so we always had a new crew beer as well, which was really fun. Then, when we released it, we’d have a party, and the crew would invite their friends and family down. It was a really cool program. Unfortunately, it just became inefficient to keep using this smaller test system.

Kim: Not only do you have multiple brands, but you have multiple locations. How do you manage two separate locations?

Josh: Abbotsford is our main production brewery. Our Chilliwack location is more of a smaller brew pub, and this is where we do our R&D brewing. We also have a brewery at our farm. We have a 5-acre farm, 10 minutes from Abbotsford, where we have our barrel room and all of our wild stuff. We also have fruit and various ingredients on the farm, which we use in our beers. Plus, we have wine grapes, which we’ll be using for a new product we are launching this fall. And we also have the NiceLife site in Port Coquitlam. So yes, I guess you could say we have a lot on the go.

Kim: What else are you working on?

Josh: We are creating a new warehouse distribution hub. We’re going to be running a new direct-to-customer online store so people can buy all of our products online and have them shipped direct. It’s sort of a decentralized model, which means we can produce small batches of different products. This gives us a lot of flexibility to run the innovative beer program that we have. We can produce a lot of beer, but it’s not a lot of one beer, and I think this will help us maneuver and be more innovative.

Kim: You talk about being ‘purveyors of the good life’. What does a good life mean to you?

Josh: The good life concept has been part of our concept since day one. Our original tagline was ‘good beers + good times’. We expanded that when we started our food program to ‘good beers + good eats + good times’. And then that became what we referred to as ‘the good life’, so when we combined beer and cocktails and now these new brands, we needed an umbrella name, hence the Good Life Brand Collective – which is how we refer to the portfolio now.

The Good Life brand sits as the umbrella over Field House, NiceLife, Rest and Recreation, Sunrise Hotel, and the new brands that are coming.

Conceptually, the good life for us is the coming together of the simple, but good things in life. If you just need a win during the week and that looks like grabbing a pizza and a beer, hanging out with friends or your kids and family… or bringing your dog down to hang out with, that can be a win … that’s the Good Life. To enjoy simple moments with high-quality products. I feel like it’s really important to create those wins for our community.

Kim: Amazing. So now I want to dig into JV here. So, how do you define a good life for you, personally?

Josh: Well, that’s a good question. I think I’ve had to learn that life is not about silos. If you’d love your work to be here, and your friends to be here, and your family to be there, and you could just focus on those things, that’s one thing. But I’ve learned that life is more like an integrated concept where you flow in and out of things. You can enjoy that thing, but move to the next thing and enjoy that. So, I think that’s how I’ve had to learn to ebb and flow in my life. And I think the good life is being able to do all those things.

For example, I was just at my daughter’s track meet during ‘work hours’, and I was able to work in between her races. I love that my work allows me the flexibility to do that. Sometimes my team needs me, and I say to my family, I know it’s Saturday, but they need some help down at the brewery. So, I think it’s the ability to do the things that are important and move through those things as effortlessly as possible. It’s not always perfect, and sometimes it’s a little bit of a hot mess. Having said that, I’m super grateful for all of those buckets of my life, and how they work together.

Kim: How important is it for you to work with local ingredients and ingredients that you grow yourself?

Josh: Well, we bought a farm in the valley, and we’re in an agricultural and food community. When we built the food program specifically, we realized it wasn’t just about buying local and saying local. We realized we had to understand what that actually means.

Farming is not an easy job, and agriculture is not easy. The original Field House name referred to the house next to the field where you work in the day, then you go back to the house after work. Here you have a meal or a beer, and it tastes so much better because you earned it after a hard day of work.

Our commitment to the farm and understanding what local farms do, and the challenges they face, has really helped us embrace working with other partners and other local suppliers. Because we’ve walked a mile in the same shoes as them, we can tell an authentic story. We can take you to the farm and show you where this stuff comes from, and you can meet the farmer who grows it. It feels really good to go to that level.

We know we’re not going to change farming. We’re not going to change agriculture. We can’t do that. But we believe we can act as a megaphone for why it’s important. I’ll give credit to Josh from 33 Acres. He said something I remember reading years ago, and it stuck with me. He said that beer is part of the conversation, but it’s not the whole conversation. And the conversation’s about community. It’s about food. It’s about culture. It’s about building great businesses that can contribute positively. And beer plays a huge role in that. And if you follow us on Instagram, you’ll see that it’s not just beer. It’s a lot of different storylines around our people, around our community, around our food, around our farm, and around all the things we do.

Being 100% local is not really that sustainable from a business perspective, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. We need to have a balance between running a healthy business and being sustainable, and we want to land somewhere in between.

Kim: Gary mentioned how collaborative you are and how much you are willing to help other breweries. Why do you think the craft brewing industry is so collaborative?

Josh: Yes, it is unique. I think we’ve realized that when you’re not fighting each other, it’s in your best interest to help each other to establish the industry. The other reason is recognizing that the craft beer drinker is not truly a loyal drinker. They don’t just drink one flavour of beer or one brand of beer. So we don’t have to say drink ours and not theirs, and instead we can say you should drink ours and theirs. I think we’re really lucky to be in an industry that allows us to say that, right?

We’re in the collaboration over competition era, which is a healthy model. Craft beer has proven that it works. We wish other people would pay attention to that.

Kim: So, tell me about what’s next for the Good Life Brands?

Josh: We have a lot to say about what’s next. We are coming into our 10-year anniversary, and we had to do a gut check. We had to look at ourselves in the mirror and ask, What have we done? What can we be proud of? We had a conversation with our team and said we should high-five ourselves, but not just rest on our laurels. We can’t assume that whatever we did for the last 10 years is going to work for the next 10.

We looked at the shifts in drinking habits and behaviours, and we looked at where the market’s going, and we realized we needed to expand our perspective. So that’s when we got into discussions with NiceLife. This is where we go back to the Jesse Bannister story. Jesse was one of our original investors in Field House. He went on to found NiceLife Cocktails and was doing something great there. Like us, they were focused on innovation and quality. Everything that NiceLife did really aligned with what Field House was doing, so we decided to merge under the same umbrella. But we weren’t doing this to stay static; we did this to grow and create new opportunities.

Very quickly, we integrated the team and then launched these new brands. Jesse is now our Director of Growth and Business Development, and he works with Parker, our original employee number one, who is now our Director of R&D. They work together on all the R&D projects. So, it’s nice having a team that is actively working on what’s next, while we’re working on solving today’s problems.

Originally, our goal was to offer one of the best craft beer experiences in BC. And we worked really hard to hopefully earn our spot there. With the merger, we had to reset, and we asked, “What is our next big goal?”

So, our next big goal is to develop a leading portfolio of brands and beverages across Canada. Over the next 5 to 10 years, we are trying to broaden our portfolio of craft beverage brands, all with a focus on innovation and quality, and then bring those to as many communities across Canada as possible.

While this is a big goal, we know we grow from being in those uncomfortable spots. When we looked at why we should grow, it was because we wanted to take care of our people and their families, give them great jobs, give them a chance to stay in this industry, make a good living, and work for a good company. So, we have to grow to do that. And we’re trying to do it in the most authentic way possible.

The next portfolio for us is non-alcoholic beverages, and we’re definitely behind in that. But we’ve been maxed at production capacity for about 18 months, so we haven’t had any tank space to put out non-alcoholic beers. We’re starting to explore more brewery partnerships to brew liquid in different spaces.

We already brew in a few different contract brewing situations. We realized that we’re not going to be able to make it in-house, so we’ve got to create some good partnerships.

Kim: You talked a lot about what’s happened over the last 10 years. Where do you think the industry is going in the next 5 to 10 years?

Josh: Craft beer has established a foothold, and I don’t think it’s going away. Having said that, I don’t think we’ll have as many independent breweries as we do right now. I think that number will go down because we’ll see some mergers and acquisitions, and there will probably be some fallouts, and the frequency with which people are opening new breweries will go down. With that, I think that the number of craft breweries will normalize to a proper number. You see this in the US as well.

On the beverage side, I think we’ll continue to see innovations. But I’m really curious about what the next big jumps look like. Where does the industry make fundamental shifts, and what are some examples of that? Hazy IPA is a great example. When we started our businesses, Hazy IPA wasn’t the IPA, but it is the IPA now, from a sales volume perspective.

There are lots of theories around what the biggest trends will be. But I think one of the insights I learned about a year ago at the craft beer conference was that we used to think of people as non-drinkers, cocktail drinkers, or beer drinkers, but the actual data is saying that beer drinkers drink cocktails, and cocktail drinkers drink beer, and beer people sometimes choose non-alcoholic drinks. It’s a weird, interesting mishmash, and I really love that.

I think the biggest trend will probably be cannabis-based beverages. If you look down south, there are THC and CBD lifestyle beverages. In BC, those drinks come with a lot of large warning labels. While it’s not my drink of choice, I can see why people are going to it from a health benefits perspective.

I think there will be some notable changes in hospitality as well. It’s been kind of the same for a long time. But we’re seeing a lot of really cool, experiential concepts coming out of the States right now that just haven’t hit Canada yet. I would say a leader in hospitality concepts in BC is BNA Brewing. They’ve been providing really unique experiences in hospitality, and I think we’ll see more concepts like that.

Human beings always want to gather somewhere, and we moved from gathering at bars and lounges to gathering at craft breweries. But I think there will be a new version of gathering. It’ll look different, but the purpose will be the same – for humans to gather. And I think it’s really important in a very digital world that we still gather as human beings, not digitally gather together.

So, I don’t know the answer. If I had it, I’d be building it right now. But I have a notebook of random theories, and maybe one of them is right.

Kim: Tell me about your favourite beer.

Josh: It’s cliche, but I will order an IPA, or a hazy IPA is really my preference. I will usually drink the IPA that’s on tap wherever we are. That’s my go-to. A stand-out for me is Superflux. They have a good reputation for a reason. I also like Small Gods on the Island. Chris has been in the industry forever, and Johnny, who came from Deep Cove, they are so good at what they do, and their products are honestly so good. They had this California IPA that I loved. I think Small Gods is making some of the best beers in BC. They’ve got some great accolades right out of the box, and it’s really fun to see them succeed.

Kim: And when you’re not drinking beer, what are you drinking?

Josh: I love cheap white wine. I don’t like sweet white wines, but if it’s cold and dry and if it’s cheap, I’ll drink it. There are also some adaptogenic soda waters with some interesting flavours and ingredients that I’m interested in.

Kim: What are your thoughts on the non-alcoholic trend?

Josh: I’ll go out on a limb, and it’s okay if I’m wrong, but I think this is more of a trend than a permanent thing. I like to anchor back to things that have been around for decades and decades. Alcohol is one of those things. I think it is somewhat trendy to be sober-curious. But I do think it’s brought about some good alternatives and healthy products. And I think it’s leading to more mindful drinking.

In the non-alcoholic space, we just made our first non-alcoholic Salted Mexican Lime Lager. One of the insights we learned is not to try to make these taste exactly like beers, but rather to make them taste like really good drinks that give you the feeling of drinking a beer. On the craft side, I think it’s really important to look at non-alc, and ask if it’s a good beverage, not if it’s a good beer.

Kim: What do you love about the craft beer scene where you live?

Josh: If you look at Field House and our fellow breweries out here, Farmhouse Brewing and Old Yale, we all have these big open spaces. Whether it’s an indoor play area or a backyard space, the breweries out here give people open spaces to hang out and chill. And I think it’s very reminiscent of having wide open agricultural fields and land, so it kind of fits with that.

Kim: If we step outside the craft beer scene, what do you love about the area that you live in?

Josh: The shift that happened in the last 10 years is that we were moving from these rural areas that were well-designed for families and livability, but they didn’t have any cool businesses. We had the mall, the big box stores, and the strip malls, but we didn’t have cool, trendy things that you would see in Gastown in Vancouver. But now, 10 years later, we have really cool coffee shops, cool breweries, new wine bars, and cool boutiques. We have all the things that Vancouver had. In Vancouver, they have all those things, but they’re not very connected because Vancouver is so big. What’s really unique about the business community we have is that we’re all independent craft businesses, and we’re all very aware of what everybody’s doing. We support each other, tell stories, and recommend each other.

So now we have all the cool businesses, but all those cool businesses are kind of your friends, which is kind of cool.

Kim: And what do you enjoy doing with your family that’s not work-related?

Josh: We definitely have an outdoor playground out here. Chilliwack has this amazing offering of trails, rivers, and mountains. So, in 10 minutes, you can be at a trail head, or you can go to a lake or ride your bike.

I think we can have a really complete community because we are family-friendly, but we also have these outdoor things to do. And now we have these creative businesses that you can go to after a hike for a beer or a great meal.

Kim: Is there anything else you want to share?

Josh: I think it’s important to talk about the fact that it’s been hard for small and medium-sized businesses. I don’t want to be whiny, but it’s been a long haul. It’s been over 5 years since the good old days of 2019. And I think everybody’s tuned out to the support local messaging, which is kind of sad. We’ve all heard it over and over again. But at the same time, if you want to have coffee shops and breweries in your community, a portion of your money has to be spent in these businesses.

The economy has been tough. People are going out less and spending less money, and there are just not enough visits to go around for all the restaurants and the coffee shops that we have. We need to ask ourselves if these businesses build the communities and the culture that we want. That doesn’t just magically happen. If you look at all the businesses closing, there’s only one reason that they’re closing, and it’s because they don’t have enough customers.

It doesn’t really take a lot to be a customer in our industry. A beer is still an affordable luxury.

I don’t want people to feel guilty about shopping at Costco or Amazon, but just make sure that you’re also spending a portion of your dollars locally as well. If we can do that, we’ll be able to save a few more local businesses. So, I think it’s important that people are really mindful of this.

Kim: Anything else you want to put out there?

Josh: We are excited to really start sharing the story about the Good Life Brand Collective in the next six months. Everybody kind of knows Field House and NiceLife, but we’re going to take people on this journey with us. Going back to your earlier question, we started with crowdfunding as a way to take people along on the journey of building a brewery. And we’re planning to do that again with the Good Life Brand. We’re going to use a crowdfunding model and hopefully get people to come along on this next crazy journey with us.

Kim: I would normally end this interview by giving Josh a chance to pick who I will interview next. But this time I’m planning to do something different. Josh is my 24th Hops Among Friends interview since 2017. The next one is the big 25, and I’m going to do something different. A bit of a retrospective. So, the person Josh recommends will be number 26. You’ll have to wait to hear who Josh picks for me to interview once the 25th blog is live.

Stay tuned for the 25th instalment of the Hops Among Friends blog series. Until then, cheers!

The post Hops Among Friends with Josh Vanderheide of Field House Brewing appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

Maybe it’s the way the vineyards catch the light or the warm breeze that rolls in from the valley floor. But for hundreds of people this summer, July means one thing: the Hop to Vine Hustle. Equal parts fun run, wine tasting, brewery crawl, and finish-line dance party, this lighthearted event is helping put Creston on the map as one of BC’s hidden gems for food, drink, and community connection.

Returning on July 5, 2025, the Hop to Vine Hustle is organized by the Creston Valley Libation Producers Society and led by Lisa Wood, co-owner of Wild North Brewing Co. The event blends fun and fitness with a true sense of community pride. Featuring eight tasting locations spread along an 11-kilometre scenic route and a lively after-party in Millennium Park, the Hustle is one of the Creston Valley’s biggest summer events.

“We just want people to have fun. We tell people: take your time, walk, enjoy yourself, enjoy Creston, and come back to visit us again,” Lisa shares. “We really just hope people finish the event feeling good about themselves!”

Sip, Sample, Stroll, and Dance it Out

The Hop to Vine Hustle isn’t your typical race. For starters, it’s not really a race at all. Most participants walk (or dance) the full route, many run it, enjoying eight complimentary libation tastings, snacks, and opportunities to win prizes along the way. Stops include two local breweries, four wineries, a distillery and a bonus ‘Sangria with a view’ station after the route’s steepest incline. Those providing the libations this year are Baillie Grohman Estate Winery, Skimmerhorn Winery and Vineyard, Wild North Brewing Co., Red Bird Estate Winery, William Tell Family Estate, Sternwheeler Craft Distillery and Columbia Brewery.

Costumes are encouraged, and contagious laughter is guaranteed. The route winds through downtown Creston and the surrounding areas, offering scenic views and a casual atmosphere. Everything culminates in the finish line After Party at Millennium Park with food trucks, live music, massage booths, and a tasting garden. Instead of medals, finishers each receive a branded glass to use at the celebration.

There are limited tickets still available for this year’s event. Participants can choose between a full entry package with access to all eight tasting stops, snacks, a picnic lunch, and entry to the After Party, or just join in the celebrations at Millennium Park with a dedicated After Party ticket.

Wild North Brewing is a Community Hub

Lisa’s commitment to the community is at the heart of everything she does.

Wild North Brewing, which she co-founded with her husband Craig, occupies a renewed former transit depot in the centre of Creston. Launched during the pandemic, the brewery quickly became a welcoming gathering place where locals could meet, share quality craft beer, and enjoy the kind of conversation that strengthens community ties.

Wild North has always been more than just a taproom. Rooted in their love for the Creston Valley, Lisa and Craig set out to make beer that reflects the community around them. From food vendors and wineries to local trades and artisans, Wild North brews are a collaborative effort. Every pint tells a story of the Valley, filled with friendship, adventure, and really great beer.

This desire to elevate the region is what inspired the creation of the Creston Valley Libation Producers Society. Together, producers share ideas, support one another’s events, and promote the Creston Valley as a worthy destination. It’s grassroots tourism, built one partnership at a time.

Community Impact and Small Business Support

The impact of the Hop to Vine Hustle reaches far beyond the breweries and wineries. In past years, over 50% of event attendees have been from out of town, which means more overnight stays, more meals in local restaurants, and more opportunities for small businesses to shine.

“Partly to beat the heat, partly to give attendees more time to explore Creston, we start earlier in the day and wrap up the After Party by 5 pm, leaving lots of time for people to get out and enjoy even more of Creston,” Lisa notes. “We want to spread the love around. Let the whole community benefit from the event!”

The event does more than support the local economy. It builds connection. The Hop to Vine Hustle is a clear example of what’s possible when local businesses, volunteers, and organizers rally around a shared vision. It has quickly become a standout on Creston’s summer calendar.

“This event brings people together,” Lisa says. “We’re seeing new faces in town. They’re staying overnight, they’re eating dinner here, and they’re coming back to visit us again and again.”

The Society’s efforts extend throughout the year. From the success of past Creston Libations Tour Passports to ongoing collaborations among the wineries, distilleries, and breweries, their focus remains on strengthening the Valley’s identity and inviting others to experience it firsthand.

Helping Visitors Discover the Real Creston

Creston may not be the first name that comes to mind when you think of wine or beer destinations in BC, but that’s exactly why it’s worth the road trip. With unexpected natural beauty, warm hospitality, and a growing roster of passionate producers, this corner of the Kootenays is carving out a space for itself on the craft beverage map.

From vineyard views and mountain hikes to local sips and bites and a walkable downtown core, Creston has all the charm of a small town with a whole lot of flavour. The Hop to Vine Hustle is just one of many reasons to visit.

Whether you’re lacing up your runners and donning a tutu for the full 11K route or just showing up for the After Party, this July 5 is your chance to experience the Valley at its most vibrant. Get your tickets, pack your costume, and raise a glass with the people who are proud to call Creston home.

Plan Your Stay in the Creston Valley
Ready to experience the Hop to Vine Hustle and everything else the Creston Valley has to offer? Make the most of your visit by staying beyond the race and immersing yourself in the breathtaking scenery and warm hospitality this region is known for. From comfortable hotels and motels to charming bed and breakfasts with personalized service, or serene RV parks and campgrounds for those who prefer connecting with nature, Creston has accommodations to suit every traveller.

Explore more of the Creston Valley: Hike scenic trails, paddle along serene rivers, or perfect your swing on lush golf courses. Wildlife viewing opportunities abound for birders and wildlife lovers. Discover the world-renowned wetlands of the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area, vast mountain forests, and the majestic Kootenay Lake. Savour more local flavours and farm-fresh delights at charming fruit stands and local farms, and immerse yourself in local culture at museums & galleries.

Want to learn more about the Hop to Vine Hustle, Wild North Brewing, or visiting the Creston Valley? Head to Explore Creston Valley or Wild North Brewing for more info.

Every Pint Tells a Story

Supporting Local. Celebrating Community.

The post From Hops to Heart: Creston’s Hop to Vine Hustle Brings the Community Together appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.